Challenge West Virginia

November 20, 2018

Challenge West Virginia is a statewide organization of parents, educators and other West Virginians committed to maintaining and improving small community schools. Our goal is to reform education in the Mountain State so that citizens have a voice in policy decisions and every child has the opportunity to receive a first-class education and the promise of a bright future.

MEADOW BRIDGE, W.Va. — Despite support from many communities in Fayette County, residents of the Meadow Bridge community aren’t happy with the possibility that their high school may one day be closed.

Many of their residents recognize that the schools in communities along state Route 19 are in disrepair, but believe that shouldn’t come at the cost of their community.

In many ways, the Meadow Bridge residents were relieved by the state School Building Authority’s decision to reject the county’s consolidation proposal. It saved their school from the chopping block–for now.

“The biggest concern is that it wasn’t a good deal for all students involved ,” Angela Gilkerson, a teacher at Meadow Bridge Elementary said. “It seemed to pick and choose and it left our kids out in the cold.”

Gilkerson said travel distance was the top concern, but for several reasons. While she and others fear that it could impact students ability to lead normal lives and participate in extracurricular activities, she also fears potential weather issues during the winter. Meadow Bridge is roughly 700 feet higher in elevation than most other areas of the county.

“177 children will be relocated 83 minutes in each direction,” she said. “And that’s just not feasible when you’re in a portion of the county like we are.”

A group of concerned parents, mostly mothers, are involved in Fayette United for Safe Education (#FUSE). They want everyone to understand exactly how dire the situations are in these school buildings–some of which are condemned

“We are out trying to spread the word that our schools are in disrepair and deplorable conditions,” Erica Stewart, a FUSE member from Oak Hill, told MetroNews. “And our children are facing them everyday. Some are in condemned buildings and some are in partially condemned buildings. [We’re] just trying to get them some help.”

Gilkerson takes umbrage with the name “FUSE,” describing Fayette County as a place generally lacking in unity.

“Fayette is anything but united right now,” Gilkerson said. “Fayette is anything but united right now. It’s quite sad that we live in such a rural community and we’re not united. We battle all the time and it’s always between the bridge. I feel like there’s a better alternative, but it’s never been provided.”

But parents like Erica Stewart say it’s not fair to these children, calling the learning environment “deplorable.”

“My son just asked me the other day if attending Collins Middle School would hurt his chances of becoming a doctor when he grows up,” Stewart said. “And that’s disheartening.”

Mountain State Justice filed a lawsuit against the SBA on behalf of the Fayette County Commission and several individual parties last week.

No date has yet been set for a hearing, though Fayette County officials hope it will be an expedited process to relieve the uncertainty.